Tulsa World: Receiver's worth often overlooked

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Receiver's worth often overlooked
He has set records at OU, but Iglesias' name gets lost in the midst of Sooner greats.

OU's Juaquin Iglesias' career kickoff return average of 27.63 yards is the best in school history. Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World file

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 8/14/2008 2:15 AM
Last Modified: 8/14/2008 3:31 AM

He has set records at OU, but Iglesias' name gets lost in the midst of Sooner greats.

NORMAN — Could Juaquin Iglesias be the most underappreciated player in Oklahoma football history?

In contemporary times, the Sooners have had plenty of big-time offensive stars, including a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, an All-American receiver and a running back for the ages. In Iglesias' career alone, he's had to play in the shadow of running back Adrian Peterson, wide receiver Malcolm Kelly and even tight end Jermaine Gresham.

Now come comparisons of running back DeMarco Murray to some of OU's most revered figures. There's talk of Gresham leaving for the NFL after his junior season. Quarterback Sam Bradford is requested for virtually every interview. Recruiting groupies already have begun to seek the next Kelly.

And here stands Iglesias, under-recruited as a high schooler out of Killeen, Texas, unheralded through three years as a Sooner receiver and, apparently, underappreciated by those outside the program.

Head coach Bob says, "Juaquin's always good," but in truth, he's often great.

Probably not a lot of Sooner fans can stand to watch replays of last year's Fiesta Bowl, but there is no better testament to Iglesias' value.

His 261 all-purpose yards — 53 receiving, 195 kickoff returns and 13 on punt returns — was the 13th-best figure in school history, and the most ever by a Sooner in a bowl game. His 195 yards on kick returns also was an

OU bowl record and ranks second for any game, and he had another 60-some yards on kickoffs wiped out by unnecessary penalties. His eight receptions in the game rank second in OU bowl history.

Some other Iglesias superlatives:

His 27.7-yard average on kickoff returns in 2008 is the highest in OU annals, and his 826 total yards on kick returns is a school record.

His career kickoff return average of 27.63 is best in school history, and he owns four of the school's 12 best single-game yardage outputs. With 49 yards, he'll overtake Buster Rhymes for first in career yards.

He's first in OU history in postseason receiving yards (258) and second in postseason catches (19).

His 2007 totals of 68 receptions and 907 receiving yards rank second and fourth in the Sooner record books.

He needs 575 receiving yards and 41 catches to stand second at OU in both career categories.

His all-purpose yardage output of 1,833 last year ranks seventh in school history — behind such legendary names as Griffin, Pruitt, Sims, Peterson, Washington and Owens.

But you probably won't hear OU historians gush about Iglesias like they do those others. And you definitely won't hear Iglesias gush about himself.

"I just try to help the team out as much as possible," he says. "Special teams is what gets you on the field. That's one of the best parts of the game to me, returning kicks and stuff like that and then running down on punt and trying to make a tackle. I just try to do what coaches tell me and go out there and try to give 100 percent."

With Kelly gone to the NFL, Iglesias should naturally absorb an increased role in the OU passing game. After three years of being a complementary receiver, can he handle the role as the primary receiver?

"I think I'm ready for it," he said. "Me, (Manuel Johnson, Quentin Chaney), I think we're all ready to get out there and make big plays, and if the defense wants to cover us, we'll just go to the next guy. I think that's just the confidence we all have as a receiver group.

"That's the best thing about the offense. We have so much talent out there."

John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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